Screenshot and Image posting guide

[Dr. Zeppers]

Screenshot and Image posting guide
Note: This is a PC Friendly Guide, I am not familiar with the Mac version of the game.
If a Mac user would like to post a mac related guide, that would be great. Posting options should be similar.

[OVERVIEW]
The process for taking a screenshot in POTCO is actually very simple.
How you locate, access, and make use of screenshots is where things generally start to get complicated.
This guide was written to help make the whole process understandable.

[REQUIREMENTS]
Operational Pirates of the Caribbean online game.
Basic computer skills, copy/cut/paste, etc.

[TERMINOLOGY]

POTCO - Pirates of the Caribbean Online
POF - Pirates Online Forums (This Site)
screenshot - An image/picture that the displays a moment of the players game screen.
jpg - The preferred file/format type for images/pictures, especially to be posted.
URL - The specific web address that points to an image, or other document on the internet.
Shortcut - This word can have many meanings, in this case it indirectly references the aforementioned "URL".

[TAKING SCREENSHOTS]

To take a screenshot in POTCO, simply press your F9 key.
The screenshot images location and filename will be momentarily displayed on the lower half of your screen.
If you wish to make multiple screenshots, it is best you wait for this to disappear before taking your next, or it will become part of your next screenshot.
You can avoid all messages/text, and the interface by using the F12 key to toggle the interface display off before pressing F9 (and then pressing F12 again to return the interface).

• F9 - Takes a screenshot
• F12 - Toggles user interface (On/Off)

[FINDING THE SCREENSHOTS]

Ok, so you've taken numerous screenshots, and you want to go through them to see just exactly what you've caught on camera so to speak. To access the screenshots, for those with computer savvy, you would simply navigate to your POTCO game folder where you will find them with the rest of the games files.
POTCO Game Folder: "C:\Program Files\Disney\Disney Online\PiratesOnline"

1. Locate and open "My Computer" on your system (sometimes on Desktop, sometimes in Start Menu)
2. Open your "C" drive, it will often be represented as "Local Disk (C:)". If you receive a screen warning you about viewing the contents of this folder, you will have to click the option to allow you to proceed and view.
3. Open the "Program Files" folder. (You may receive similar prompt as noted above in step 2)
4. Open the "Disney" folder.
5. Open the "Disney Online" folder.
6. Open the "PiratesOnline" folder.

You can now "Cut/Paste" the screenshot images out of this folder, and put them somewhere else more easily for you to manage (ie on Desktop, or a folder on your Desktop perhaps, or in My Pictures, etc). Be careful to only remove files with filenames starting with the word "screenshot".

[RESIZING SCREENSHOTS] (If you are familiar with better graphics editing application than MSPaint, I recommend using it instead for better quality)

You may wish to edit a screenshot, add text, add an arrow pointing at something, or may wish to simply make the screenshot smaller (better for forum posting). There are many applications/ways to do this. However I will stick to the "PAINT" program that is native to Windows for consistency. If you wish to add text and to resize your screenshot, it is usually best to resize your screenshot first, as the resize process can often distort your editing, and make text unreadable.
Note: You may not need to resize your screenshot! Use the [shot] bbcode tag to display thumbnail, click to display full size.

Resizing your screenshot

1. Open your screenshot up with Microsoft Paint. (Note: Microsoft Paint is usually found at: START > All Programs > Accessories)
   
2. Click on the "Image" menu, and select "Stretch/Skew... Ctrl-W"
   
3. In the "Stretch" area, input the percentage of the original size you would like to reduce the image to, in the "Horizontal" box. Repeat the EXACT same amount in the "Vertical" box. If you do not the picture will not resize properly and will look funny. Click "OK". You have now resized your screenshot by the indicated percentage. Try different percentages to see what you like best. If using another software that lets you indicate actual pixel size, I would recommend 320 x 240 (320 x whatever doesnt skew image) for forum posting, with links to the full image.
   
4. Click File, and Save As (not Save), to save your screenshot with a new name so you do not overwrite your original full size image/screenshot.
   

[EDITING SCREENSHOTS] (If you are familiar with better graphics editing application than MSPaint, I recommend using it instead for better quality)

You may wish to edit a screenshot, add text, add an arrow pointing at something, etc. There are many applications/ways to do this. However I will stick to the "PAINT" program that is native to Windows for consistency. If you wish to add text and to resize your screenshot, it is usually best to resize your screenshot first (See [RESIZING SCREENSHOTS]), as the resize process can often distort your editing, and/or make text unreadable.

Editing your screenshot (adding Text. etc)

1. Open your screenshot up with Microsoft Paint. (Note: Microsoft Paint is usually found at: START > All Programs > Accessories)
   
2. Click on the "A" tool for "Text".
   
3. Drag and create a rectangular box representing where you want your text to be. You cannot resize this box once finished, so make sure it covers the area you want your text to be.
   
4. On the toolbar there are now two options indicating wether the back of your text box is to be solid (covering image) or if it should be transparent. Clicking on either should demonstrate the outcome, this can be changed as long as you still have the editing box for the current text.
   
5. At bottom of Paint, in left corner, left click on the color you wish your text to be, and right click on the color you would like the back of the text area to be (if not transparent).
   
6. Type the text you wish in the box.
   
7. Right click the box, and select "Text Toolbar" to alter Font, Size, and Style of text.
   
8. Averting focus from the text box, clicking on another tool, or other menu option will finalize your text. Once on, it cannot be changed (limitation of Paint program).
   
9. Using other tools, paint, draw, do whatever you wish.
   
10. Click File, and Save As, to save your new creation as a different file, not overwriting the original.
    

[POSTING SCREENSHOTS]

This guide will review 3 methods of posting an image/screenshot in a forum post here at POF. Each method requires some information, usually the "URL" or web address to the image/screenshot to be displayed, however if using attachments, the attachmentid can also be used. See [HOSTING SCREENSHOTS].

Posting your screenshots on POF
Large images (like screenshots) should use the [shot] tag. This will display a smaller version of your image which can be clicked to view the full size.
Smaller images would likely be best using the [img] tag, or for attachments, the [attach] tag.

Using [shot] tag:
------------------------

If the "URL" of the image is http://pirates.teamofx.us/ss/digspots/padres_del_fuego/pdf_digspot_1.jpg
Then once in [shot] tags like this: [shot]http://pirates.teamofx.us/ss/digspots/padres_del_fuego/pdf_digspot_1.jpg[/shot]


It will display in forum post like this:

Using [img] tag:
-----------------------

If the "URL" of the image is http://www.piratesonlineforums.com/forums/images/avatars/flag.gif
Then once in [img] tags like this: [img]http://www.piratesonlineforums.com/forums/images/avatars/flag.gif[/img]

It will display in forum post like this:

Using [attach] tag:
--------------------------

Find the "attachmentid", there will be a link to your image/screen, directly above the "Manage Attachments" button. Right click on it, and click "Properties". The "Address/URL" should be displayed, it should look something like this:
http://www.piratesonlineforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=771&stc=1&d=1218258054
Note the part highlighted in red, the attachmentid number.
Where you want the image displayed, type in the attachment BBCode tag [attach] the attachmentid number, and then close with your closing attachment tag so it all looks like this: [attach]<attachmentid #>[/attach]
Once coded, it should look something like this: [attach]771[/attach] in this post will look like this:pirateflag.gif

Ok, now that seems simple, but where do you put your graphics and find that "URL"?
To post an image on a website requires some form of 'hosting' the picture cannot remain on your local computer.

[HOSTING SCREENSHOTS]
There are 3 different approachs to hosting your images/screenshots for posting in the forums here at POF. Your account status may limit or vary availability of some options. The following are the 3 most common (if not only) means of hosting images for display in your forum posts.

1. Attachments - You can attach an image to any post using the advanced editing features of the board. This will supply a link for post readers to click on to view the image. With a little finesse, you can also display these pictures in your post. You will likely have limited space alotted to your account for such attachments however.

1. In your post, or reply, if you do not have the "Manage Attachments" button/option, look for "Go Advanced" button.
   
2. Click "Manage Attachments".
   
3. Click the "Browse" button next to the "Upload File form your Computer" box, and locate/select the image/screenshot you wish to share/post.
   
4. Click "Upload" button, it will take a few moments, but it will upload, then present you with a link to the file uploaded in the "Manage Attachments" box. If you've made a mistake, you can use Remove button to remove one you've already uploaded, and upload another.
   
5. Click "Close this window" in top right corner.
   
6. Locate the link to your attachment above the "Manage Attachments" button. Right click on it, and click "Properties".
   The "Address/URL" should be displayed, it should look something like this:
   http://www.piratesonlineforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=771&stc=1&d=1218258054
   Obtain attachmentid (portion in red) to use [attach] tag, or copy entire url for use with [shot] or [img] tags, depending on your desired posting method.
   

2. Gallery - You can attach an image to any post using POFs image gallery (note images may be required to wait for approval). You may have a limited amount of space alotted to your account for own "gallery" similarly to attachments.

1. Before you begin your post, click "Gallery" button at top of POF site.
   
2. Click "Upload Photos" link on right hand side of the screen.
   
3. The category box should default to "Member Gallery", if it is not this, change it to "Member Gallery".
   
4. Select each image/screenshot you wish to upload. You may upload more than one, use the browse buttons for each photo box to select what you want to upload.
   
5. You may enter a default title, and descriptions for your images/screens.
   
6. Click Upload/Submit.
   
7. Once uploaded, if your images/screens/photos are not displayed, click "My Photos" link.
   
8. Click on the image/screen/photo you want to put in your post.
   
9. If you wish to use the [shot] tag, copy the "Direct Link" box at bottom, paste this code in between your [shot] tags, where you wish the image/screen/photo to be displayed.
   
10. If you wish to use the [img] tag, simply copy the "UBBCode" box at bottom, paste this code into your post, where you wish the image/screen/photo to be displayed. No further coding required.
    

3. External Hosting - You can upload your pictures to an external host. Perhaps your own web or guild site. Hosting sites are reviewed frequently to make sure they adhere to POFs standards. Batleth updates POFs Approved Image Host list periodically, which can be found here: http://www.piratesonlineforums.com/f...ead.php?t=5303

The process for uploading and using files may vary from host to host. Generally the idea would be to get the "URL" or web address to the hosted image (once uploaded to the approved host) so you can insert it into BBCode [shot] or [img] tags.

I will be updating this a bit, as new features, and/or more information becomes available.

Constructive comments are welcomed.